Nick Goody and Tyler Olson used to play catch when they were stuck at Scranton, the Triple-A affiliate of the Yankees in 2016. But after a while, Goody stopped volunteering to be on the receiving end of Olson’s arsenal of arm angles and movement.

By now, most Indians fans have grown to appreciate the club’s mid-2016 waiver claim from the Royals. Since that under-the-radar pickup, Olson has gradually become one of the most important members of the Tribe’s bullpen, carrying over a 20-inning scoreless streak last year into a continued string...